Cooling device



Feb. 19, 1957 E. G. PUTTMAN COOLING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1955 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY E. G. PUTTMAN COOLING DEVICE Feb. 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March '7, 1955 INVENTOR. ERNEST c5. PUTTMBN BY 6 awn v ATTOR EY Feb. 19, 1957 E. G. PUTTMAN 2,781,923

COOLING DEVICE Filed March 7, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. mm 0 ERNE T G. PUTTMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent O l COOLING DEVICE Ernest G. Puttman, Walnut Creek, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Kaiser Steel Corporation, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application March 7, 1955, Serial No. 492,530

14 Claims. (Cl. 214-17) This invention relates to an apparatus for use in the atmospheric cooling of heated material. More particularly, it is concerned with providing a novel apparatus for the cooling of heated sinter material and the like.

During certain stages in the processing of materials such as sinter, coke, cement clinker, burnt lime, etc., they are exposed to heat of relatively high temperatures. It is obviously impractical to handle the materials satisfactorily at such temperatures by means of conveyor belts or other transporting means unless the material is first cooled.

Various machines have been previously proposed for the cooling of these materials with varying degrees of success. In these machines the material, such as hot sinter, is usually discharged from the sintering machine onto a cooling device in chunks of suitable size. 7

It has been found that if the cooling device is so designed as to expose to the atmosphere the materialover a large area in a comparatively thin layer, a satisfactory and rapid cooling of the sintered material may be obtained by use of a moderately sized cooling device.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel cooling device for sintered material which is effective in exposing a large area of material to cooling atmospheric air and to provide a unit which would be considerably lighter than the present devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel cooling device of such construction that the material to be cooled is uniformly and continuously passed in a generally helical path downward while being exposed to the atmosphere for a maximum time interval to effect a substantial and efiicient cooling of the material being treated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel cooling device of the type under consideration wherein the material to be cooled is gently passed over an inclined stationary surface or cone by the combined action of gravity and transporting plow or guide vane elements,

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel sinter cooler which incorporates the use of comparatively light material transporting elements which need only relatively small and compact driving units.

These and other objects are attained by providing a sinter cooler having a fixed" stationary, conical surface and at least one rotatable arm adapted to sweep over the stationary surface. The arm or arms, if more than one, carry guide vane members which serve to gradually and gently direct the passage of the material to be cooled from the point of its entry onto the conical surface to its 2,781,923 Patented Feb. 19, i957 point of discharge from the conical surface. The device also contemplates the use of a drive means for rotating the arm or arms about a central axis such that they sweep circumferentially over the conical surface. If more than a single arm is used, one of the arms is longer than the others and includes a final guide vane which acts as a plow to discharge the material from the periphery of the conical surface onto a suitable conveying device. If a single sweeping arm is used, then the arm is of such length, radially with respect to the conical surface, that theguide vane or plow will discharge the cooled material from the conical surface to a suitable conveying mechanism. In either case, the conveying mechanism is identical and acts in conjunction with the end vane or plow member in the same manner as will be described hereinafter.

This conveyor device is arranged below the conical cooling surface. It is also in radial alignment with the extended movable arm and is rotatable along and in vertical alignment with the arm and is disposed beneath the cooling surface, such that the material which is discharged by the plow or vane from the outer periphery of the conical surface may be carried centrally inwardly of the surface. The conveyor thus acts as a collector for the material which has been spread and transported across the conical surface. This conveyor then discharges into a central collecting hopper and from there upon another conveyor or other suitable means of transportation.

Further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the novel cooling device of the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevational sectional view of the cooling device shown in Fig. 1 when taken along the lines 22 thereof;

Fig. 3 is-a plan section with parts removed for the sake of clarity of the cooling device of the instant invention when taken along the lines 3-4) of Fig. 2, and discloses details of the lower hopper and conveyor construction;

Fig.4 is a partial perspective view of the outer end of a sweeping arm and showing the attachment of one of the guide vane members to the overlying arms, with parts thereof being shown in section.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular Fig. 1, it

will be observed that a suitable annular foundation structure 22 including an annular wall 22 and a floor 39 with the foundation structure being set within a suitable excavation is provided for the cooling device of the instant invention. As may be seen from Fig. 2, a portion of the floor 39 is broken to form a pit 40 defined by vertical walls 41 and 42. Pit 40 is also in open communication with a radially extending trench 54 which extends from beneath the wall 22 outwardly beyond the foundation structure for purposes to be hereinafter described. Pairs of diametrically opposed parallel I-beam members 23 are disposed on annular foundation walls 22 and extend over the'annular foundation 22. As shown, two pairs of beam members 23 are used. These are disposed at right angles to each other, with one pair of beam members being used to suppolt the opposing pair of beam members.

Interposed between adjacent pairs of beam members 23 -and radiating outward in the manner of spokes from the point of intersection of the several beam members 23 are secondary supports or truss type members 23. One extremity of a support 23' is secured to a beam member 23, while the other extremity of a secondary support 23' is adapted to rest and be anchored to the wall 22'.

Resting on these beams 23 and having a central bearing member 44 fixed thereto is a stationary and selfsupporting conical surface 1. The conical surface 1 may be advantageously comprised of a plurality of suitably formed heavy gauge metal plates made from a suitable abrasion resistant material. If desired they may also be provided with a refractory covering 1. These plates are tied together in addition to being secured at the tops thereof to the bearing member 44. The bottoms of the plates are anchored to the beams 23 and supports 23' by means of a peripheral lip 35 which may be formed integrally with each plate. The bearing member 44 has a central aperture for receiving a centrally disposed rotating shaft 7, the lower end of which is journalled in a bearing 43 fixed to or suspended from the l-beam of other structural members 23.

The uppermost end of the vertical shaft 7 has a generally frusto-conical head element 15 afiixed thereto. This head element is centrally disposed relative to an interiorly vaned rotary and cylindrical hopper member 16. The interior vanes 16' of the hopper 16 serve to connect the hopper to the head element 15. Head element 15 along with vanes 16' also permit the material to be cooled to be dispersed radially outwardly and to be uniformly dispersed along the uppermost portion of the stationary conical surface 1 as the hopper 16 and head element 15 rotate upon rotation of the shaft 7. The hopper 16 may be charged by means of a chute 17 from the usual sintering machine, which chute forms no part of the instant invention and is shown by way of illustration only, and may be provided with any known type of crushing device, such as crushing rollers 17 Fixed in radially extending rigid relation to the outer surface of hopper 16 are a plurality of arm members 2, 3 and 4, which as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, extend downwardly with respect to a horizontal line drawn through their point of connection to hopper 16. These arms may be further defined as being substantially parallel to a plane drawn through the stationary conical surface disposed immediately below each arm. While the drawings disclose the use of three such arms suspended from and connected to the hopper member 16, it is obvious that more or less than three arms may be used depending on the results desired. It is equally apparent that in the event only a single arm is used, then the arm must be of such length as to dispose the final vane or plow 26 in a position so as to discharge the sintered material over the lip or edge 35 of the conical surface.

Thus, any embodiment of the invention must include at least one arm, such as arm 2, having a radial length such that the end of the arm overlies the flattened, annular edge or lip 35 of the stationary conical surface 1. As disclosed however in the drawings, all of the arms carry individually adjustably guide vane members 5. These are set at such an angle as to urgethe material passing over the cooling surface in a generally helical path from the uppermost point of its contact with the stationary cone 1 downwardly and outwardly toward the peripheral lip 35. It is also to be noted that the longer of the three arms, namely arm 2, carries a generally plow-shaped vane member 26 at its outermost end. This vane member has its outermost edge disposed closely adjacent the peripheral edge of the conical surface 1 formed, by the lip 35 of the conical surface section plates, such that material encountered by this last or outermost vane 26 will be discharged over the edge of the conical surface.

Referring now in particular to Fig. 4 there is shown one means of mounting the guide vanes on the sweeping arms and this mounting means is by way of illustration only, since other and equivalent means providing a full vertical and angular adjustment of the guide vane members are within the purview of this invention, or in some instances, adjustment of the vanes 5 and 26 may not be required, in which case these elements may be fixed to the arm or arms. In any event, as may be seen from an inspection of Fig. 4, the arm may be composed of a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced tube like members having suitably interlaced truss bracing members to which is aifixed a journal member 32 receiving therein a rotatable sleeve member 32', which in turn has vertically immovable therein and keyed with respect thereto a shaft 34. The upper edge of the journal has a projecting ear or lug to which is connected a jack 30. The other end of the jack is connected by any suitable means to guide vane 26. Thus, it may be seen by expansion and contraction of the hydraulic jack means, the keyed shaft 34 will move up and down in the bushing or journal member in such a manner as to raise and lower guide vane 26 with respect to the conical surface 1. Extending laterally outwardly from this arm member 2 is an anchor member 33 having a jack 20 connected to its outermost edge. The other end of the hydraulic motor is connected to the, rotatable journal member by any suitable means, such that by expansion and contraction of the jack member 29, the angle of the vane, due to the keyed connection of shaft 34 with the sleeve member 32, will be varied by the rotation of guide vane 26 with re spect to the arm 2. Suitable means, identical with the disclosed adjustment means, may be used for mounting the vanes 5 along the length of the arm in such a manher that these vanes may be actuated simultaneously or individually from a conventional remote control station. It is to be noted that the entire construction is of relatively light structural components, the arms being formed, at least in some instances, of tubular construction using construction of conventional yet lightly fabricated design.

As mentioned hereinabove, centrally disposed and secured to beams 23 is a lower bearing member 43 which receives the lower end of vertical shaft 7. Mounted on shaft 7 closely adjacent to and slightly above bearing 43 is a spur gear 36. This gear meshes with a pinion 37 carried by a selective transmission device 11 of conventional design also supported on beams 23. A suitable power means, such as an electric motor 11', is also mounted on beams 23. This motor is connected to transmission device 11 such that rotation thereof will, through the proper choice of gears 36 and 37, produce a corresponding rotation of shaft 7 and its associated elements. By proper selection of the gear ratio in the transmission device, the arms 2, 3 and 4 and associated parts may be caused to rotate in such a manner and at such a speed as to produce an even, slow helical distribution of the material being cooled over the conical surface 1 under control of guide vanes 5 until they reach the plow-like vane 26 and are discharged from the periphery of the conical surface by the latter vane.

The shaft 7 also extends below beams 23 and the bearing 43 associated therewith and is connected by key element it} at its lower end to a radially extending frame assembly 13. Frame assembly 13, because of its keyed connection to shaft 7, will be rotated with respect to the conical surface as shaft 7 rotates. Frame assembly 13 extends radially outward from the central shaft 7. Its outermost end is provided with a wheeled truck 18' which contacts and is supported by an annular rail member 12. Rail member 12 rests on foundation floor 39 in such a manner that upon rotation of shaft 7 and frame 13 the outermost end of the frame assembly 13 will pass in sweeping relation with respect to and beneath the conical surface 1 simultaneously and in vertical alignment with arm 2. A pair of suitably mounted pulleys 24 are dis posed at either end of the frame 13. An endless belt 6 is passed over the pulleys and is driven by suitable motor means 25 affixed to frame 13. The material discharged on the, outer end of frame assembly 13 will be conveyed by the endless belt 6 radially inwardly of the device to be discharged therefrom adjacent the connecting or keying member 18. Also provided on the outer end of the radially extending frame assembly 13 and above belt 6 is a hopper 8 which is fixed by any suitable means to the frame assembly 13 and adjacent the peripheral edge of conical surface 1 in such a manner as to receive the material discharged therefrom. The frame assembly 13 is keyed to shaft 7 in such a manner as to be directly positioned below the longer of the sweeping arm 2. Thus, as the scraper or guide vane member 26 directs the cooled material over the peripheral edge of the conical surface, it will also cause the material to be discharged directly into the hopper 8 and onto belt 6. Thereafter, the cooled material will be conveyed by belt 6 radially inwardly to a suitable opening in the conveyor frame 13 where it is directed downwardly into a collection hopper 9, and through hopper 9 onto a second and final conveyor belt 10.

Hopper 9 located below shaft 7 is supported on a framework 19 which rests partially on floor 39 of foundation structure 22 and partially on a group of vertically disposed I-beams 21. Hopper 9, as indicated above, discharges directly on endless belt 10 trained over a pulley 27 rigidly fixed with respect to the foundation structure and another pulley, not shown.

Since the primary material supporting surface of the cooling device proposed is fixed, only lightweight and relatively small moving parts are needed to cause flow of the material to be cooled over the same, and the entire structure is of relatively light construction.

It is also obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the instant invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the type described, the combination of a frame structure, a generally conical stationary surface supported by the frame structure, means including at least one arm overlying and movable with respect to the conical surface, said arm being disposed in circumferentially sweeping relation with respect to said conical surface, guide vanes mounted on said arm, conveyor discharging means mounted beneath the conical surface and movable with respect thereto, said conveyor discharging means also being disposed in alignment and movable with said arm, a charging means, a rotatable shaft supporting said arm, said conveyor means and said charging means, and drive means engaging said shaft to rotate the shaft and said first mentioned means and said conveyor means with respect to the conical surface.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said charging means comprises a hopper fixed to the upper end of the rotatable shaft and disposed symmetrically about the center of said shaft and the axis about which the arm and said conveyor discharging means rotate.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said discharging conveyor means mounted beneath the conical surface has an outer end portion extending radially outwardly beyond the edge of the conical surface and movably supported on wheel means and an inner end portion fixed to said centrally disposed shaft, said conveyor means receiving material discharged from the conical surface and transporting the material radially inwardly toward the centrally disposed shaft, and a hopper disposed adjacent the inner end of the conveyor for receiving material discharged therefrom.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein the hopper discharges into a conveyor fixed with respect thereto and adapted to transport material received from the hopper radially outwardly beyond the outermost edges of the frame structure.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame structure, a stationary conical surface carried thereby, at least one radial arm carrying guide means disposed in overlying spaced relation to said sur- 76 face, said arm being carried by a centrally disposed rotating shaft, a charging means, a discharging means, and drive means engaging said shaft to rotate the shaft, said conical surface including an abrasive surface.

6. In a device of the type described, the combination of a frame structure, a stationary conical surface carried by the frame structure, means including at least one arm overlying the conical surface and carrying guide vane members, said arm extending substantially to the edge of the conical surface, said means being disposed in circumferentially movable sweeping relation with respect to the conical surface, discharge means beneath the conical surface and movable with respect thereto, a charging means, a central vertical shaft supporting said arm, said discharging means and said charging means, and drive means engaging said shaft to rotate the shaft and associated charging and discharging means with respect to the conical surface.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame structure, a stationary conical surface fixed to and carried thereby, a plurality of radial arms disposed in overlying spaced relation to said surface, guide members fixed to said arms, conveyor means disposed below said conical surface in alignment with one of said arms, and a common shaft means to which said arms and said conveyor means are connected, whereby the arms and conveyor means are rotated about a central axis in sweeping relation with respect to the conical surface.

8. The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless conveyor, one end of said conveyor being fixed to said common shaft means and the other end supported by wheel means, and a circular trackway having its center coincident with the central axis and guiding said wheels.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame structure, a stationary conical surface fixed to and carried thereby, means including at least one radial arm disposed in overlying spaced relation to said surface, a centrally disposed rotating shaft carrying said arm, guide vane means carried by the arm, a conveyor means disposed below the conical surface and in alignment with the said arm, and means connecting said con- ,yeyor means and said arm to said shaft, whereby the arm and said conveyor means are rotated about the axis of the centrally disposed shaft in sweeping circumferential relation with respect to the conical surface and whereby material on said conical surface will be carried in a helical path from the center of the conical surface toward the periphery thereof by said guide means, the said arm being provided with means for discharging the material onto said aligned conveyor means.

10. The device as described in claim 9, wherein the conveyor means aligned with the arm is of the endless belt type.

11. The device as described in claim 9, wherein the material is discharged from the rotating conveyor means into a hopper disposed centrally of and beneath the conical surface.

12. In a device of the type described, the combination of a frame structure, a generally conical stationary surface carried by the frame structure, a plurality of equally spaced arms overlying the conical surface and carrying guide members, said arms being circumferentially movable with respect to the conical surface, conveying means beneath the conical surface and movable with respect thereto and in radially disposed alignment with one of said arms, a charging hopper disposed centrally of said conical surface, a discharging means in communication with said conveying means, a vertical shaft supporting said arms and said conveying means and charging hopper, and drive means engaging said shaft to rotate the shaft and the associated means with respect to the conical surface.

13. The device as described in claim 12, wherein the guide members include individual vanes mounted on said arms, and wherein said arms are composed of relatively light elements.

' 14. The device as described in claim 12, wherein the conical surface is provided with a refractory, abrasive surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

